Accsex (2013)

Synopsis: Beautiful. Ugly. Complete. Incomplete. Able. Disabled. Within stifling dichotomies of normal and abnormal, lie millions of women, negotiating with their identities. This film explores notions of beauty, the ‘ideal body’ and sexuality through four storytellers; four women who happen to be persons with disability. Through the lives of Natasha, Sonali, Kanti and Abha, this film brings to fore questions of acceptance, confidence and resistance to the normative. As it turns out, these questions are not too removed from everyday realities of several others, deemed ‘imperfect’ and ‘monstrous’ for not fitting in. Accsex traces the journey of the storytellers as they reclaim agency and the right to unapologetic confidence, sexual expression and happiness.

Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust; Year of Release: 2013; Telecast on Doordarshan (DD National) 2015

Awards: Special Mention at the 61st Indian National Film Awards 2014, presented by the Honble. President of India, Honourable Mention at the IAWRT International Awards 2013, Casblanca, Morocco (TV Documentary category), Special Mention at the 5th BOSIFEST – Belgrade International Disability Film Festival, Serbia, 2014, 2nd Prize at WeCare Film Festival (on Disability Rights) 2014, New Delhi Festival

Selected Festivals and Screenings: Picture This Film Festival, Calgary (Alberta), Canada (2014), Sydney Intercultural Film Festival, Sydney, Australia (2013), Public screenings by LSE Intersectional Feminist Society (2016), Sisters of Frida, London, Centre for Disability Studies, University of Leeds, UK (2015), Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York (2015), UK, International Film Festival for People with Disabilities (IFFPD), 2015, We Care Disability Film Festival (Travelling Film Festival) (2014), 10th IAWRT (India Chapter) Film Festival, screening at Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University, New Delhi, Bangalore Queer Film Festival, Bangalore (2014), PSBT Open Frame International Film Festival, New Delhi (2013), VIBGYOR Film Festival, Kerala (2014), Women at Work Film Festival , Ahmedabad (2014).